Method of forming inner trim panels



March 7, 1939.

A. H. HABERSTUMP y 2,150,030

METHOD OF FORMING INNER TRIM PANELS Filed Oct. 19, 1936 r* y ...1; s." I

ATT NE'AS.

Patented Mar. \7, 1939 METHOD F FORMING TRIM: PANELS Aurea n". Haberstnmp, Detroit, Mien., assigner fto The Murray Corporation of America, De-

troit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application october 19, 193s, serial No. 106,363

6Claims.

'I'his invention relates to inner trim panels.

More particularly it relates to a novel and .highly improved method of manufacturing4 inner trim panels to produce attractive surface decorations thereon.

Inner trim panels such as are now universally conventionally used for covering portions of the interior of vehicle bodies generally comprise a backing sheet of relatively stiff cardboard and a layer of loosely felted non-woven brous padding material adhesively secured thereto. Over the top of the padded baci-mg Ysheet is stretched la layer of fabric nish material which has the marginal edges thereof folded around the marginal edges of the padded backing ,sheet and preferably adhesively secured to the rear side of the backing sheet in order to maintain the fabric finish material in predetermined position there- In order to relieve the uninterrupted and uniform surface provided by this fabric finish material on inner trim panels, numerous eorts have been made to decorate the surface of the inner trim panels in such a manner that improved decorative effects in the nature of tufting or embossing will provide a structure of more attractive and more ornamental appearance.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing inner trim panels of improved decorative and ornamental appearance which method is at the same time exceedingly cheaply practiced, and which results in tan exceedingly uniform and high quality prod- It'is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of manufacturing inner trim panels of this generic type in which the panels are formed in such a manner that highly improved surface decorations are obtained thereon greatly enhancing the general appearance of the trim panel as a whole.

- Inasmuch as the loosely felted non-woven brous padding material which is conventionally utilized in the' manufacture of inner trim panels is of very loose texture it is very diillcult to handle and consequently attempts made to perform embossing 'or forming operation thereon while the padding material is unsupported have almost universally met with failure. The present application has for an object a. method in which the padding material is formed to predetermined desired configuration while it is supported by the giactiiig sheet with which it is permanently asso- Still another object of the present invention consists in the provision of a novel method of manufacturing inner trim panels in which novel means are provided for adhesively bonding the fabric finish material to the backing sheet in the area between tufts of fibrous material which method has been found to provide extremely satisfactory decorative eects.

Numerous other objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will become clearly apparent' from the following specication when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a completed inner trim panel manufactured in accordance with the improved method of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through a backing sheet illustrating the manner in Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse sentional view similar to Figure 2 illustrating the fibrous padding material applied to the backing sheet shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view similar to Figures 2 and 3 illustrating the manner in which the padding material is cut and formed.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional View similar to Figure 4' illustrating the manner in which additional adhesive is applied to the padded backing sheet in order to secure the fabric finish material thereon. Figure 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Figure l illustrating in detail the cross-sectional configuration of the completed inner trim panel.

Figure '7 is a slightly enlarged transverse sectional view through a press illustrating the type of die utilized for cutting and forming the padding material. f

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional vew through a press illustrating the type of die utilized for tensioning the fabric finish material over the padded backing sheet.

Figure 9 is a transverse sectional view similar to Figure 8'i1iustratlng the die shown therein at the bottom of its stroke.

It will be readily appreciated from the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing that the method disclosed herein is a relatively specific form of the generic inventive concept presented in this application. It will be likewise readily understood that numerous and various departures from the specific steps outlined may be made without departing from the general spirit of the invention as dened in the subjoined claims.

In accordance with the metho'd of the present invention a relatively heavy stiff cardboard backing sheet i0 is blanked out to have a peripheral configuration substantially identical with the configuration of the inner trim panel which it is desired to produce. Suitable liquid adhesive materialLsuch for example as latex, is applied to one surface of this backing sheet and preferably is applied thereto only in the particular areas or zones in which it is desired to produce the improved decorative effects. While, of course, adhesive may be applied uniformly over the entire slu'face of the backing sheet such adhesive is not necessary to the practice of the present method nor has this additional adhesive been found necessary for firmly retaining the fibrous padding material in position on the backing sheet as will hereinafter become more clear. In the specific form of the invention shown the adhesive material may be applied in three strips il, upon the surface of the backing sheet in the area in which it is desired to produce the surface decorations. While this adhesive is still wet a section of padding I.material preferably composed of loosely felted non-woven jute bers is applied to the adhesive covered backing sheet I0. This section of padding material prior to application to the backing sheet is preferably blanked out to have a peripheral configuration substantially congruent to the configuration of the backing sheet in order that the entire surface of the backing sheet will be uniformly covered thereby.

The adhesive strips Il serve to retain this section of brous padding material in position upon the backing sheet in order that the same maybe conveniently handled, and prior to the time the adhesive has had an opportunity to dry the padded backing sheet is placed upon the bed I5 of a press of the type` shown in Figure '1, which as will be clearly seen, serves to-conform the padding material to the desired surface configuration. It has been found distinctly preferable to perform this operation while the adhesive material of which the strips Il are composed is slightly damp in order that this adhesive material will aid in maintaining the padding material shaped to the predetermined desired configuration. The press shown includes a ram I0 which has a retaining frame l1 secured thereto by means of screws Il. This retaining frame serves to accurately position a die upon the ram of the press.

The die,"'as is conventional in constructions of this general character, includes a shouldered border frame element 20 adapted to mate with the retaining ring and which surrounds a die body 2| preferably composed of layers of wood and sheet metal, the top layer being preferably formed of sheet metal. The entire die is preferably backed with a layer 22 of sheet steel the purpose and function of which will become clear hereinafter. The body 2| of the die is slotted to provide recesses for a plurality of cutting and forming knives 24 which knives have generally V shaped edges which edges are arranged in accordance with the predetermined pattern or ornamentation which it is desired to produce upon the completed trim panel. The knives have the iianks of the blades thereof meeting ea'ch other to cut through the padding material, cutting.

substantially all of the bers thereof without materially injuring the cardboard backing sheet upon which this padding material is permanently mounted. The wet adhesive material which serves to secure the padding material to the backing sheet throughout the area in which this cutting operation is performed tends to grip the ends of the fibers out and retain the same closely adjacent the padding sheet thus providing neat rounded tufts or beads between the lines of cut. It will be readily appreciated that the bonding effect of the adhesive material serves to retain the padding material in substantially this -form after the padded backing sheet has been removed from the press.-

As is clearly illustrated in Figures 4 of the drawings, after the padded backing sheet has been subjected to the action of the blanking press shown in Figure 7 the padded backing sheet will be shaped to provide a surface configuration conforming `substantially to the desired surface conguration which it is desired to produce upon the completed inner trim panel. It will be seen that the portions of the padded backing sheet l which have been engaged by the knives 24 provide channels or recesses of generally V shaped cross` section throughout the sheet. A suitable liquid adhesive, preferably liquid latex, is nowv sprayed into the bottom of these channels or recesses as is clearly shown in Figure 5. The type of adhesive material found the most practicable for this particular operation is relatively liquid 'latex which is sprayed in the channels by means of an atomizing gun.

In order that the fabric finish material will be properly bonded with respect to the padded backing sheet as will hereinafter become more clear it is essential that a substantial amount of liquid adhesive material be available in these grooves in order to properly bond the fabric finish material to the padding material and backing sheet.

After the application of the latex to the bottom of the recesses or channels the liquid latex which tends to settle in the bottom of the channels is subjected to the action of a blast of air which serves to disseminate the liquid adhesive material throughout the padding material adjacent the bottom of the channels. This step in the present method is extremely important and one which makes possible the utilization of the pres-,- ent method as a commercial practice. Unless this step or some equivalent procedure is employed it has been found that the liquid latex material soaks into the fabric finish material discoloring the surface thereof and rendering the resultant trim panel unsatisfactory. The application of the blast of air to the bases of the channels after the adhesive has been applied thereto serves to disseminate the adhesive material throughout the padding material adjacent the bases of the recesses and serves to substantially impregnate this portion of the padding material with liquid adhesive, at the same time bonding the ends of the cut fibers firmly together in order to retain the tufted effects of desired configuration.

After the completion of this operation a section of fabric nish material 26 of a configuration substantially the same as the padded backing sheet only of slightly larger area is stretched over the padded surface of the backing sheet. Prior to the application of this layer of fabric finish material to the padded backing sheet one surface of the fabric iinish material is preferably sprayed with a layer of liquid adhesive material in order that it will uniformlyadhere to the padding sheet throughout the surface thereof. After this section of fabric finish material is applied to the padded backing sheet the marginal edges thereof are folded around the marginal edges of the padded backing sheet and adhesively secured to the reverse side of the backing sheet leaving the fabric finish material substantially uniformly tensioned over the padded backing sheet.

The covered trim panel is then placed in a press having'a bed 30 and a ram 3|. This press includes a, die retainer 32 secured tothe ram by means of screws 35. The die utilized for the purpose of conforming the fabric finish material to the conguration of the preformed backing sheet is of particularly novel construction and in order to obtain a complete understanding of the operation and function thereof reference may be had to applicants assignees copending application, Serial No. 114,350, flled, December 5, 1936, which is directed to the specific construction of this die member. 'Ihe die includes a laminated wood and metal body portion 32 in which are mounted blades 33 which blades lie along substantially the same lines as the cutter blades utilized for cutting the padding materialand shown in Figure 8. The central of the three blades 34` is spring pressed by means of a compression coil spring 36 in order that the edge thereof will protrude substantially beyondthe edges of the adjacent blades 34. Consequently as the ram of the press descends this'central blade will engage the fabric nish material rst as is seen in Figure 8 forcing the fabric nish material down into the central of the three recesses.

As the ram of the press descends all the way down as is shown in Figure 9 the spring 36 will 4 I'he resultant trim panel has been foundl tol be particularly ornamental and attractive in appearance, extremely simple to manufacture and one in which extremely ornamental surface decorations may be easily and cheaply obtained.

It will be readily appreciated that theabove described method` is merely illustrative of one form of the generic inventive concept presented in this application. Many other and further modifications thereof falling within the scope 'of the invention as defined in the subjoined claims :11 become clearly apparent to those skilled in e ar What is claimed is:

1. The method of forming inner trim panels which includes applying a relatively thick layer of adhesive to a backing sheet, applying a layer ofloosely felted non-woven fibrous material to said adhesive covered backing sheet, simultaneously cutting substantially through said fibrous material to said backing sheet along predetermined lines and forcing the fibrous material cut downwardly toward said backing sheet to emboss the same, said cutting operation being performed while said adhesive is wet whereby the ends of the fibers cut will be bonded in position.

forming knives in the zones in which said adhesive has been applied whereby the fibrous material will be cut substantially through to the backing sheet and the ends of the cut fibers will be bonded together by said adhesive. Y

3. 'I'he method of forming inner trim panels which includes applying a layer of liquid adhesive material upon predetermined portions of a relatively stiff backing sheet, mounting a congruent section of non-woven fibrous padding material upon said backing sheet subjecting said padded backing sheet to the action of cutting and formingr knives in the zones in which said adhesive has been applied whereby the fibrous material will be cut substantially through to th backing sheet and the ends of the cut fibers will be bonded together and to said backing sheet by said adhesive, applying additional liquid adhesive in the grooves formed by said knives, tensioning a section of fabric finish material over said padded backing sheet and urging said finish material into said grooves to bond the same to said brous material and backing sheet.

4. The'method` of forming inner trim panels which includes applying a layer of liquid adhesive material upon predetermined portions` of a relatively stiif backing sheet, mounting a congruent section of non-wovenbrous padding material upon said backing sheet, subjecting said padded backing sheet to the action of cutting and forming knives in the zones in which said adhesive has been applid whereby the fibrous material will be cut substantially through to the backing sheet and the ends of the cut bers will be bonded together by said adhesive, applying a liquid adhesive in the grooves formed by said knives, subjecting said adhesive to a blast of air to impregnate adjacent portions of the padding material and mounting a section of fabric nish material on said backing sheet and conforming the same to the conguration of said padding material.

5. The .method of forming inner trim panels which includes subjecting' a padded backing sheet to the action of a die which serves to cut through same ,whereby to provide a groove therein applying liquid adhesive material in said groove, applying a blast ofv air to said liquid adhesive material to impregnate the adjacent padding material therewith, mounting a section of fabric finish lmaterial on said backing sheet and urging the same into said groove.

6. The method of forming inner trim panels which includes adhesively securing a layer of non-woven padding material to a backing sheet, embossing said padding material and cutting the same through to said backing sheet while the same is secured to said backing sheet to provide a groove in said padding material, applying a liquid adhesive material in said groove, applying a blast of air in said groove to impregnate the adjacent padding material with said adhesive, and mounting a section of fabric nish material on said padded backing sheet.

ALFRED H. HABERSTUHP.

'the padding and at the same time to emboss' the 

